What Can Replace Wood for Building Materials?

About one-sixth of the wood used in construction ends up in the landfill, states the National Resources Defense Council.

People have used wood in the construction of homes, outbuildings and patios for eons, but explore some greener or more stable options prior to gathering the saw, hammer and paintbrush. Metal, concrete or bamboo, to name a few, could replace standard lumber and plywood in applications, such as framing, roofing, siding and decking. But before turning to any residential-construction alternative, check with your local building department for restrictions.

Framing

When picturing a building’s framework, you likely envision a two-by-four skeleton. Today’s products, however, supersede such traditional materials. For example, tightly wrapped, well-stacked bales of straw staked together with rebar or bamboo and cloaked in lime, earthen plaster or cement mortar are sturdy enough to hold up a roofing system of trusses; consider this low-cost application for the barn or storage shed. For the home, check into already-assembled wall sections of autoclaved, aerated concrete (AAC) -- a lightweight mix of sand, lime, cement and gypsum -- for its lack of toxic substances, and pest-, weather- and fire-resistant qualities, as summarized by the University of Florida.

Roofing

Keep your cool, especially in a balmy climate -- instead of the hot metal roofing of days gone by, look into cool metal-roofing panels, which combine solar reflectance with thermal emitting qualities for a lower cooling bill and superior fire protection. If you’re driven toward more eco-friendly efforts, check out recycled composite shingles. Clay tiles offer longevity, don't contain pollutants to leach into waterways and have a natural home-cooling design due to their rippled shape that allows airflow.

Siding

In place of wood siding, which requires painting every couple of years to discourage rot, weigh the pros and cons of alternatives including vinyl, aluminum and cement-fiber siding. Vinyl is a cost-friendly choice but can warp over time. Aluminum will stand the test of time -- upwards of 50 years -- but it’s susceptible to dents and its painted surface fades and turns chalky; however, you could clean and paint over it, if desired. Cement-fiber siding lasts about as long as aluminum, is storm- and fire-resistant but retails on the pricier side at about $10 per square foot at the time of publication.

Patios and Decking

You could construct a ground-level patio from compacted sand, paving stones, flat rocks or colored or stamped concrete, which provides a more decorative approach as compared to the typical gray coloration of standard gravel and cement. For a raised deck, look into composite or plastic-based lumber or fast-growing bamboo in the form of treated and oiled planks.

About the Author

Lorna Hordos has owned a home-flipping business for more than two decades. She uses her construction and interior design experience to write friendly, conversational home and lifestyle articles for Daltile, Marazzi, Lowes and numerous other publications. She also enjoys writing for children, and has been featured on the cover of Humpty Dumpty magazine.